The alcohol in your drink is absorbed into your body through the stomach and small intestine. Food slows down the rate of absorption - that's why alcohol affects you more quickly on an empty stomach.

From here, it's distributed via the bloodstream throughout the body, reaching your heart, brain, muscles and other tissues. This happens very quickly - within a few minutes. Usually, though not always, this has a pleasant effect.

Your body can't store alcohol, so it has to get rid of it - mostly via your liver. First, the liver changes alcohol into acetaldehyde - a highly toxic substance. This turns into acetate, a harmless substance, which is passed out in the urine. Some alcohol is also excreted through the breath and sweat.

Your body's ability to process alcohol depends on various things, like your age, weight and sex. Your body breaks down alcohol at a rate of about one unit per hour - and no, there's no way you can speed this up!